Parliament on Friday passed into law a bill for securing funds to cover larger defense spending, triggering a no-confidence motion by the top opposition party against the Cabinet of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
The bill was approved by a majority vote at a plenary meeting of the Upper House with support mainly from the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito. The bill cleared the Lower House last month.
Members of opposition parties including the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, Nippon Ishin no Kai, the Japanese Communist Party and the Democratic Party for the People voted against the bill Friday.